Electrically operated safety razor



March 1969 HELENE SUZANNE THUILLIER 3,431,644

NEE BONNEFON ELECTRICALLY OPERATED SAFETY RAZOR Original Filed Oct. 25, 1965 I I a l l L United States Patent Olhce 3,431,644 Patented Mar. 11, 1969 US. Cl. 30-45 2 Claims Int. Cl. B26b 19/28, 19/38, 19/02 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An electrically operated safety razor wherein the shaving head assembly consisting of a blade guard and cap between which a safety razor is positioned is subjected to rapid small amplitude vibrations in a direction perpendicular to the cutting edge of the blade. This motion achieves a massaging effect on the skin of the user and deflects the skin and hair bristles toward the cutting edge so that cutting is effected as the shaving head is moved along the users face.

This application is a continuation of my copending patent application entitled Electric Razors and Clippers, Especially Safety Razors, Ser. No. 503,200, filed Oct. 23, 1965, now abandoned.

A first object of the invention is to produce a safety razor of the type comprising a shaving head assembly comprising a cutting blade with a cutting edge enclosed in protection means, said shaving head being kept in vibration for improving the cut of the shaving head and making it easier to handle.

Another object of the invention is to produce a razor simultaneously ensuring cutting, and massaging the skin.

Another object of the invention is to produce a razor of which the alternating movements of the razor head, which, during its movement when pressing on the skin, compels the cutting blade to rise along the bristles down to their roots. These bristles are then cut at their base by the slightest movement by hand of the appliance on the skin by the combination of the combination of the pressing-in movement alternating with a disengaging movement so that the blade cuts the bristle while keeping away from the skin so as to avoid all possibilities of cuts or irritation.

A safety razor embodying this invention is comprised of a shaving head assembly including a planar blade having a cutting edge, an underlying blade guard and an overlying cap. The blade is rigidly held between the blade guard and cap with the cutting edge positioned therebetween and inwardly of a tangential line extending across the outer extremities of the blade guard and cap in an area where they engage the epidermis of a user. A handle extends from the blade guard toward a casing. Electrical means are contained within the casing and are connected to the handle for subjecting the shaving head assembly to rapid small amplitude alternating movements toward and away from the casing in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the blade. The edge of the cap and of the blade guard are engageable with the epidermis of the user upon movement of the shaving head assembly away from the casing for deflecting a portion of the epidermis between the blade guard and the cap beyond the tangential plane inwardly toward the cutting edge of the blade for exposing the base of the hairs in the deflected portion of the epidermis to the cutting edge. The cutting edge of the blade is engageable with the base of the hairs in the epidermis of the user upon movement of the shaving head assembly toward the casing and upon movement of the safety razor along the epidermis for cutting the hairs without cutting the epidermis.

Other objects and advantages will be revealed by the description, claims and attached drawing. The drawings illustrate a sectional view of one form of embodiment of a razor.

The shaving head consists of an assembly of curved and profiled cap 1 and blade 2 enclosing the blade 3-.

This assembly is locked by screwing down the threaded screw 4, in the hole tapped in the handle 5.

The handle 5 of suitable length is threaded at its base. The threaded base is screwed into a tapped cavity 6,

provided at the upper part of a magnetic core 7. A milled lock-nut 8 is threaded onto the handle 5 and enables the handle 5 to be locked in a selected position.

The core 7 is preferably square or rectangular in cross-section and is laminated by stacked formed thin sheets and riveting them together.

The core 7 penetrates with a slight clearance into a cavity of the same shape formed in the center of a winding 9. The winding 9 is adapted to be subjected to an alternating current, which induces a corresponding current flow in the magnetic circuit 10, made like the core, and whose design does not show the lower section.

The base of the core 7 has a dephasing ring 11, of copper or any suitable metal, for limiting, in the conventional manner, the amplitude of the longitudinal vibrations of the core, due to the successive changes of direction of the alternating current traversing the winding 9.

A thin resilient washer 12, of metal or the like, placed in the airgap existing between the circuit 10 and the core 7, enables, in combination with the threaded rod 13, fixed in the core base 7, and frictionally traversing the circuit 10 with a smooth fit, accurately to adjust the amplitude of the vibrations by suitably positioning a nut 14. The axial position of the nut 14 on the threaded rod 15 is maintained by the lock-nut 15.

At the same time, the threaded rod 13 centers the core in the cavity of the coil 9. Centering is completed by the effect of two balls 16 placed in small thick nonmagnetic bars 17.

The balls 16 transverse the small bars 17 in longitudinally extending slots. Two leaf springs 18, each riveted at one end to each of the small bars 17 keep the balls applied in longitudinal extending slots 19, made on each of the two corresponding faces in the core 7.

A sealtight casing 20, preferably of insulating material, completely surrounds the motor of the device.

Projecting from the top of the casing 20 is the shoulder piece of the core 7. The shoulder piece of the core 7 carties the razor handle 5. Extending from the bottom of the casing 20 is the threaded rod 13, not 14, and the lock nut 15. An electrical cord 21 extends from the lower end of the casing 20 from the winding 9 for connecting the Winding 9 to the external voltage source.

We see that when the alternating current is sent into the winding, the core begins to vibrate along its longitudinal axis, carrying with it the handle and shaving head.

The cutting blade, directly applied to the surface to be shaved, will in its rapid alternating movement perpendicular to the bristles, cut the latter close to the skin, so much the more seeing that at each movement of the blade, it presses in by the alternating massage of the shaving surface, while the operator passes the razor over his face as slowly as he wishes.

Furthermore, owing to the very slight oscillation amplitude required for passing over the bristles, without even moving the razor, the vibrations can be made imperceptible, and it is easy perfectly to shave the uneven surfaces of the face or the wrinkles on the neck, without any painful scraping.

Lastly, owing to the high cutting speed, due to the double frequency of that of the supply current, the cutting edges become blunt very slowly and can be used much longer, without being excessively sharpened at the beginning.

I claim:

1. A safety razor comprisng a shaving-head assembly including a planar blade having a cutting edge, an underlying blade guard and an overlying cap, said blade being rigidly held between said blade guard and cap with said cutting edge being positioned between said blade guard and said cap, said blade guard and said cap defining a tangential line extending across their outer extremities in the area where said blade guard and said cap engage the epidermis of a user, said cutting edge terminating at a point inwardly of said tangential line for protection of the users epidermis upon the placing of said shaving-head assembly into engagement therewith:

a handle extending from said blade guard,

a casing, and electrical means in said casing operatively connected to said handle for subjecting said shaving-head assembly to rapid small-amplitude alternating movements toward and away from said casing in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of said blade, the edge of said cap and said blade guard being engageable with the epidermis of the user upon movement of said shaving-head assembly away from said casing for deflecting the portion of the epidermis between said blade guard and said cap beyond said tangential plane inwardly toward said cutting edge for exposing the base of hairs in the deflected portion of the epidermis to said cutting edge, said cutting edge of the blade being engageable with the base of hairs in the epidermis of the user upon movement of said shaving-head assembly toward said casing and upon movement of said safety razor along the epidermis for cutting the hairs without cutting the epidermis.

2. A safety razor as set forth in claim 1 further including means for adjusting the amplitude of the alternating movements of the shaving-head assembly relative to the casing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,455,532 5/1923 Johnson 3045 2,042,293 5/ 1936 Biniek 30-45 2,078,845 4/ 1937 Goldschmidt 3045 1,592,309 7/1926 Moon 304S X 1,719,827 7/ 1929 Aron 3045 2,067,072 1/ 1937 Caporale 30-45 FOREIGN PATENTS 591,307 1/1934 Germany.

MYRON C. KRUSE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 3034, 43.1 

